reasons for firearms

Reason to be armed, even at a suburban Wal-Mart.

Carjacker Gets Shot in Buttocks

Jeffcoat was shot Saturday night after he stuck a gun into the stomach of a man getting into his car at a Wal-Mart in suburban northeast Richland County and demanded his keys.

A woman in the passenger seat pulled a gun from the glove compartment and fired five shots at Jeffcoat, hitting him once, investigators said.

The sheriff said police don't encourage people to go out and "just start shooting," but they do want people to protect themselves.

Jeffcoat also was wanted for at least nine other armed robberies across Columbia, Lott said.

I choose not to carry firearms.

Setting my fierce hatred of guns/firearms aside for a moment... (as that is, truly, a separate thread)

My thing is that having a gun would (at least in terms of sit x) make me more of a target -- if I'm willing to carry one (or five), that means I've got something that warrant such a level of defense.

Nevermind, as was previously said, that having ammo is quite a weight, and is finite. Whenever I run out, I've now got a misshapen hammer, maybe a bayonette or something. Either that, or I must steal ammo from someone else -- which returns to the idea of targets.

Likewise, they make quite a bit of noise -- which alerts everyone in the surrounding areas to your relative position.


As far as 'equalling things out', well, I can't say much. I don't have much respect for guns/firearms. (BTW - is there a difference between the two terms?)

Ax verses gun, no argument (and well played Whitewave). ((Although, arguably, a well placed trip-wire would have had an equally good end, and might have given you a free ax as well...))
But gun verses gun... then it falls to 'skill' I guess. It's a standoff.

Frankly, I'm more worried about having a gun, and having that gun turned on me.

Personally, I'd rather hide under a pine tree or something, use traps and snares and such, and just let everyone else shoot each other.

[edit on 21-1-2007 by Diseria]

I love my rifle! I practice gun safety, take care of it and have plenty of ammo.

It gives me a sense of security and a sense of responsibility!

I know if the worst happened, my family wood never go hungry. I would hunt!

I know that my neighbors would be less likely to steal from me or else!

I treasure my weapon as much as my axe, sledge hammer and wedges to provide me with fire wood for warmth and cooking.

It really comes down to self sufficiency and peace of mind. I have the tools to survive!

IMHO

I currently (legally) carry my H&K USP .40

I'm a fan of the .40 caliber because of the practicality of its use (cheaper, less recoil, less weight, ect).

I have many other weapons that I will be using when sitx occurs.

Are guns needed? In my opinion yes..for self defense situations. I wouldn't advise using them for hunting (unless it's absolutely unavoidable).

While there are good points to knowing how to use a gun it is interesting that in States where more home owners have guns, there are more homicides.


Homicide Rates Higher in States with More Guns at Home

I am not against guns at all, but it seems like too many people don't know how to use them properly nor how to keep them away from others. I often see people who have guns because they think it is fun or cool, then even own enough guns to start a war, yet they do not treat guns with the respect they deserve.

[edit on 22-1-2007 by Terapin]

Terapin
I coudnt agree more. I feel the same way about cars there is far to many people in this country who own them, and have no clue how to use them or take care of them. Most of the people I work with own several. Ime not talking about one for him and one for her. Ime talking several for him and several more for her. makes me sick.

Originally posted by Diseria

Likewise, they make quite a bit of noise -- which alerts everyone in the surrounding areas to your relative position.

[edit on 21-1-2007 by Diseria]

Diseria,

You do know that bladed weapons are very difficult and messy to use right??? This has always been a truism. The injurys and deaths from bladed or edged weapons of war has always been higher than firearms. Horrible casualty rates and injurys in those olde wars of swords etc. Ever look at the tip of a modern broadhead arrow. How about a flint arrow head...very messy if you hit anything with them. Spear the same ...viscious wounds.

By the way..you do know how to fashion a silencer right?? Even a temporary one shot silencer?? I am sure some of the posters here know of what I speak and it does work. Didnt they teach this in public school??
In shop class??

Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999You do know that bladed weapons are very difficult and messy to use right??? This has always been a truism. The injurys and deaths from bladed or edged weapons of war has always been higher than firearms. Horrible casualty rates and injurys in those olde wars of swords etc. Ever look at the tip of a modern broadhead arrow. How about a flint arrow head...very messy if you hit anything with them. Spear the same ...viscious wounds.

Understood, and very true.
(I shall come back to this one after class -- in short, it's a matter of distance (bow/arrows), and having to absolutely defend myself (knives). Guns give people a sense of power, and with that they are more likely to offend, rather than defend.) ((Another case of bringing morals to sit x?))

By the way..you do know how to fashion a silencer right?? Even a temporary one shot silencer?? I am sure some of the posters here know of what I speak and it does work. Didnt they teach this in public school??
In shop class??

Times have changed, my friend. *sigh* and for the worse, I'm afraid.

My skool years in public skool were spent going thru metal detectors, dealing with locker searches, being watched by security guards... People were more worried about teenage pregnancy and fights breaking out in the halls, or kids bringing weapons to skool.

(And the only thing that I learned in shop class was how to file/sand wood, make a pencil holder and a lamp... and in high skool, how to build a cement wall. !!)

I saw in a movie that one could use a pillow... but I'd hate to shoot my pillow if I actually thought to bring one with!

Outside of that, I have no clue. Public skools certainly wouldn't have taught something like that... kids might actually _use_ it!

As to edged weapons I did not actually think of this until I really began to read more history outside of what passes for this in the public education avenues. I was shocked by this at first. I had always thought the opposite was true that in times of modern firearms the casualtys were higher. Not quite so. What has happened in modern warfare is that often the weapons were turned on non combatants/civilians. This was sometimes true in olde times also..for example in the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD where the civil warring faction were fighting among themselves and the neutral civiilans for power. When the Romans surrounded Jerusalem the factions united against the Romans and turned on the non combatants to keep them in line. IN the end the Romans slaughtered most..combatants as well as non combatants.
Anyway it was a surprise to me to learn how brutal and terrible were the wounds from edged weapons. I had never given it any thought until that education.

I was being a bit facetioius in my posting on silencers and shop classes. However..I have never had to go to school through metal detectors. Times have certainly changed.

One shot silencers are made from plastic soda/water bottles and duct tape. Usually for small caliber firearms. There are variations within this genre but that is basically it.
Though I have known this for a number of years I was a bit surprised to find this in a Stephen Segal movie as part of the plot but there it was...out in the open..hence my posting it here. It is not new information.
If you ever have to defend yourself quietly in situation X or such with a firearm now you know how it is done. You are sufficiently armed with this knowlege. In the Spirit of Whitewave's and my Chivalry...I have not left you unarmed. Chivalary and Gentility is not quite dead here in the South and I tip my hat as I say that.
A bow and arrow or crossbow would probably be quieter and just as effective at pistol distances..provided of course that one is skilled with this ancient tool.

YOu do not practically silence a revolver as they have about a .020 inch gap betewen the cylinder and the barrel. The Dan Wesson series of revolvers is the only one I know which can be practically silenced as it can be adjusted as to the barrel gap..since it often comes in a pistol pack with interchangable barrel lengths. You can adjust this gap down to zero.
As to a pillow ..I wouldnt recommend this as they are not very portable.
HOllywood!!! It probably would muffle much of the noise unless it was a revolver.

As I type this I am listening to a music DVD titled "Celtic Women." Very beautiful enchanted voices on these women. Wonderful. Very relaxing. Makes me wonder how it is that they had such a bloody history of times past in Merry Olde England.

With that I have some work to do before shoving off.
One more thing....what classes are you taking and majoring in in school?? Curious about this.


Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999
One shot silencers are made from plastic soda/water bottles and duct tape. Usually for small caliber firearms. There are variations within this genre but that is basically it.

So, in essence, put the barrel in the top of the bottle, tape it so it stays, aim and shoot... and that's it? ....I've got a stock of silencers then! (for once, drinking mountain dew actually comes in handy! )

If you ever have to defend yourself quietly in situation X or such with a firearm now you know how it is done. You are sufficiently armed with this knowlege.

I've been armed with much knowledge, both here on ats, and prior to discovering this (wonderful!) forum.
However, as I'm quickly realizing, armed with knowledge does not equal being armed with practice. The one and only time I shot a gun was when I was 4... Never had the will to learn properly. (And I'm still debating the will to even owning one.)

In the Spirit of Whitewave's and my Chivalry...I have not left you unarmed. Chivalary and Gentility is not quite dead here in the South and I tip my hat as I say that.
A bow and arrow or crossbow would probably be quieter and just as effective at pistol distances..provided of course that one is skilled with this ancient tool.

I'm glad that Chivalry and Gentility are not dead... and I humbly bow as I say that. Methinks they, like so many other humane qualities, must be brought back into the forefront.

Ancient?! bah... I learned that in high skool. Once I get some land, my father said that I can have his bow. From there, I learn how to make arrows, and practice. I'm fairly decent at it, although I'm certain that moving targets are infinitely harder to hit.

One more thing....what classes are you taking and majoring in in school?? Curious about this.

I started out in Fiction writing (in chicago), transferred to Massachusetts where I'm going to graduate (this may! woohoo!!) with a major in English/Communications with a concentation in creative writing, and a minor in philosophy.
This semester is Ethics & Animals, Logic, and Moral Relativism. (And teacher's assistant for Shakespeare.)
And what I'm doing after that... no clue. (Other than moving back to Wisconsin to be closer to my family.) I remember why I started on this path, these particular topics... I just don't know where it's leading (yet).

Originally posted by Diseria

Originally posted by orangetom1999
One shot silencers are made from plastic soda/water bottles and duct tape. Usually for small caliber firearms. There are variations within this genre but that is basically it.

So, in essence, put the barrel in the top of the bottle, tape it so it stays, aim and shoot... and that's it? ....I've got a stock of silencers then! (for once, drinking mountain dew actually comes in handy!

)

Yup ..correct here ..that is it in a nutshell. You can improve it somewhat but the basics are there. This is usually for a small caliber firearm like a .22 but can be effeciently used for larger calibers like 9MM or .45 or .38super.

As to the bow being a ancient weapon ..I refer to its pedigree..going way back. Still no matter how or what tool you choose to utilize...the technology is great but if you are lousy in skills.....well the skills still need to be maintained, refined, even nutured.

THank you for your educational background..in your courses you are taking.

Orangetom

If you are on th run from a force mabe booby traps, that way you can keep moving and still do some dammage.

Heres some reasons:

Firearms have been a part of my family for many generations.
I hunt with firearms.
The government has firearms for protection.
The states have firearms for protection.
The countys have firearms for protection.
The citys have firearms for protection.
I'm not gonna be THAT sucker, so I figure I should have firearms for protection.
Slaves cannot possess firearms.







- NSBiz



[I decided to edit this post ]


[edit on 4/1/2007 by NSBiz]

I carry because "anything can happen at any time". Also the police are very good at stopping crime but the police can't be everywhere and the citizens are.

I'm also a damn good shot with a pistol. Practice makes perfect.

Usually, the criminal will flee at the sight of an armed citizen.

Roper

we don't have to worry about protecting ourselves from criminal.

Originally posted by The_Smokeing_Gun
we don't have to worry about protecting ourselves from criminal.

Hows that work criminals are every ware even in Canada.

Yea but we have never had the problem, My mother lives in a bad part of halifax and the only crime there are drug wars between the dealers, very rarley are bystanders even affected.

Ime sorry I thought you ment All Candians but reading your last post I see you were talking about just you and your family. My appoligys for being flipint. I was begginning to think you went off the deep end. LOL

Lol I know what you mean My grand farther was an RCMP officer in surrey BC and the gangs tourtured them, I am not saying it dosn't happen I just never have met anyone in canada that feels they need to carry a gun.

I carry a gun, whenever I feel it is needed. At other times, I do not.

The point to this is that a gun is merely a tool, no different than a shovel, or a pick, or a hammer. All these things can kill others; the big difference is that the gun is more efficient at the task.

I own a small arsenal. Why? Two reasons: I like the firearms I own, as most of them are unique in some way, and two, they are needed tools (IMHO) for protection and food acquisition. In a survival situation, a gun can be either a benefit or a hindrance depending on the situation.

I should mention here that I grew up with loaded guns in the home. I live in an area where a permit to carry a concealed weapon is fairly simple to get, and a lot of the people you meet on the street are armed. This fact has never been a concern for me. I was raised to be self-sufficient and to accept whatever life throws at me, so I do not concern myself with a lot of what-if situations when confronted by someone who might be aggresive. I simply mind my own business, and if they want a fight bad enough to back me in a corner, I will fight as I have to, with or without a weapon. But because no one here is ever really sure whether the person in front of them is armed, violent crime is almost non-existant. But that is my situation; this lifestyle choice does not apply to everyone. Some feel a definite need to carry, some have a definite need to carry, while others are concerned about carrying, and still others simply are not stable enough to be trusted with such a tool. To each their own.

As a truck driver, I find it strange that the very people who are claimed to be terrorist targets are also prohibited from carrying a weapon for protection. Before 911, airline pilots were also prohibited form doing so, but after the hijackings they are allowed to be armed. Every American citizen has the right to keep and bear arms under the US Constitution. It behooves us to all protect that right, regardless of our personal decision whether or not to avail ourselves of it. To do less is to abandon the principles that our country is founded upon, for if one word in that great document is rendered void, it renders the rest susceptable.

TheRedneck